Human Rights

Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Articles 16-30

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Article 16. & Article 17.• The right to marry and to

found a family and the right to own property

Article 18. & Article 19.• Freedom of thought,

conscience and religion and freedom of opinion and expression

Women’s Rights• 2010 UN Entity for Gender Equality and

Empowerment of Women (UNWomen.org)– Grounded in a vision of equality, works for the:

• elimination of discrimination against women and girls;• empowerment of women; and• achievement of equality between women and men as partners

and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action and peace and security.

Women’s Rights

• Commission on the Status of Women- has elaborated international guidelines and laws for women’s equality and non-discrimination– 1979 Convention on the Elimination of

Discrimination against Women• Committee on the Elimination of

Discrimination against Women (CEDAW)– monitors the 1979 Convention, considers reports,

assesses progress, etc.

Women in National Parliaments

Nordic Countries

Europe- OSCE Member Countries, including Nordic

Sub-Saharan Africa

Arab States

0 20 40 60 80 100

Regional Averages (%)

Both Houses CombinedUpper House or SenateSingle House or Lower House


Article 20. The right to peaceful assembly and association

Article 21. The right to take part in the government and equal access to public service

Article 22.The right to social security Article 23. The right to work; the right to equal

pay for equal work; the right to form and join trade unions.

Article 24.The right to rest and leisure.

International Labour Organization• The ILO is the international

organization responsible for drawing up and overseeing international labour standards.

• It is the only 'tripartite' UN agency that brings together representatives of gov’ts, employers and workers to jointly shape policies and programmes promoting Decent Work for all.

“The primary goal of the ILO today is to promote opportunities for women and men to obtain decent and productive work, in conditions of freedom, equity, security and human dignity.”

ILO Fundamental Conventions• Forced Labour Convention, 1930- suppression of forced or compulsory labour.

Exceptions -military service, convict labour properly supervised, emergencies such as wars, fires, earthquakes.

• Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organize Convention, 1948- the right of all workers/employers to form/join organizations of their own choosing w/o prior authorization.

• Right to Organize and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949- protection against anti-union discrimination, for protection of workers’ and employers’ orgs against acts of interference, and for measures to promote collective bargaining.

• Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951- =pay and benefits for men & women .• Abolition of Forced Labour Convention, 1957- Prohibits the use of any form of

forced or compulsory labour as a means of political coercion, punishment for the expression of political or ideological views, workforce mobilization, labour discipline, punishment for participation in strikes, or discrimination.

More Fundamental Conventions• Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958- Calls

for a national policy to eliminate discrimination in access to employment, training and working conditions, on grounds of race, colour, sex, religion, political opinion, national extraction or social origin, and to promote equality of opportunity and treatment.

• Minimum Age Convention, 1973 Aims at the abolition of child labour, stipulating that the minimum age for admission to employment shall not be less than the age of completion of compulsory schooling.

• Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 Calls for immediate and effective measures to secure the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labour, which include slavery and similar practices, forced recruitment for use in armed conflict, use in prostitution and pornography, and any illicit activity, as well as work which is likely to harm the health, safety and morals of children.

A Social Protection Floor for All

Rights of Migrant Workers

• Migrant worker- “a person who is to be engaged or has been engaged in a remunerated activity in a State of which he or she is not a national “

• Migrant Worker Convention 1990- makes it illegal to expel migrant workers on a collective basis and or destroy their identity documents, work permits, or passports. – Entitles migrant workers to many rights shared by

nationals (social benefits, medical care, trade unions etc…)


Article 25.• The right to a standard of living adequate for

the health and well-being … including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services...

• Motherhood and childhood are entitled to special care and assistance

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN

VOLUNTARY GUIDELINES• to support the progressive

realization of the right to adequate food in the context of national food security

• Enable people to feed themselves with dignity and to establish a safety net for those who are unable to do so

Director-General prioritizes Horn of Africa

The Rights of Indigenous PeoplesPermanent Forum on Indigenous Issues

• Subsidiary organ of ECOSOC formed in 2000

• Six mandated areas of UNPFI:– Economic and social

development– Culture– Environment– Education– Health– Human rights

Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People

• 2007- sets out rights of indigenous people including- rights to culture, identity , language, employment, health and education


Article 26.• The right to education. Education shall be free, at

least in the elementary and fundamental stages. Article 27.• The right freely to participate in the cultural life

of the community; the right to the protection of the moral and material interests resulting from any scientific, literary or artistic production of which he is the author.

Declaration on the Right to Development

The right to development is an inalienable human right by virtue of which every human person and all peoples are entitled to participate in, contribute to, and enjoy economic, social, cultural and political development, in which all human rights and fundamental freedoms can be fully realized.

The Rights of Children

• United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and Office of High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)- strive for global commitment to the Convention on the Rights of the Children– Committee on the Rights of the Child- monitors progress of

States fulfilling obligations of the convention• In 2000 Gen. Assembly adopted 2 optional protocols:

– Prohibits recruitment of children under 18 into the armed forces or their participation in hostilities

– Strengthens prohibitions/penalties concerning sale of children, child prostitution, and child pornography

Protection for vulnerable children in Benin


Article 28.- Article 30.• Recognize that everyone is entitled to a social and

international order in which human rights set forth in the Declaration may be fully realized;

• that these rights may only be limited for the sole purpose of securing recognition and respect of the rights and freedoms of others and of meeting the requirements of morality, public order and general welfare in a democratic society;

• and that each person has duties to the community in which she or he lives

Racism • Apartheid: Ended a system of institutionalized racial

segregation and discrimination imposed by the South African government from 1948 until the early 1990s.

• 1993 UN Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Racism

• International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination- Legally binding instrument

• It defines racial discrimination as any distinction, exclusion, restriction or preference based on race, colour, descent, or national or ethnic origin which has the purpose or effect of nullifying or impairing the recognition, enjoyment or exercise… of human rights and fundamental freedoms…"

Rights of Minorities

• Some 1 billion people worldwide belong to minority groups many of which are subject to discrimination and exclusion and are often the victims of conflict

• Forum on Minority Issues- 2007 provides a platform for promoting dialogue and cooperation on issues pertaining to national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities as well as thematic contributions and expertise to the work of the independent expert on minority issues

Persons with Disabilities Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its Optional Protocol

• Some 650 million people (10% of the world’s population, of which some 80% lives in the developing world) have some type of physical mental or sensory impairment

Key Issues• MDGs and Disability • Women and girls with disabilities• Disability and statistics• Disability and HIV/AIDS• Mental Health and Development• Disability, natural disasters and emergency

situations• Disability and Sports

General Principles• Respect for inherent dignity, individual

autonomy including the freedom to make one’s own choices, and independence of persons

• Non-discrimination• Full and effective participation and

inclusion in society• Respect for difference and acceptance of

persons with disabilities as part of human diversity and humanity

• Equality of opportunity• Accessibility• Equality between men and women• Respect for the evolving capacities of

children with disabilities and respect for the right of children with disabilities to preserve their identities

Administration of Justice

• The UN worked to develop standards and codes that serve as models for national legislation. They cover such issues as:– Treatment of prisoners– Protection of detained juveniles– Use of firearms by police– Conduce of law enforcement officials – Role of lawyers and prosecutors– Independence of judiciary

• 2010 – there were 24 International Instruments relating to administration of justice

OHCHR’s Expected Accomplishments for 2012